The following is an update on the artifacts and tidbits of history that will be a part of the magical Titanic Anniversary Dinner at Foley Station in La Grande, April 10 and 11, 2009. Advance tickets are required, so contact Foley Station, 541.963.7473, today. The update is provided by John Lameroux, the Titanic historian and collector.
I am attaching a small picture of little Willie Coutts in his Boater’s hat. It is hard to imagine this hat made him appear to old to be admitted to a life boat as he was only 9 years old. But that is what he was told until his mother protested he was just a little boy.
William 'Willie' Coutts, age 9, was a 3rd class passenger traveling with his mother and younger brother. Willie's favorite possession was a straw "boater's hat" which were the rage at the time. Willie was wearing his hat when he
and his family tried to board lifeboat 2. Only women and children were being allowed entry. Willie was denied entry because he looked "to old" in the boater's hat. His mother pleaded that he was only a young boy and removed
the hat from his head to prove her point. He was finally allowed to enter, hat in hand.
While in the lifeboat his hat became crushed. When Willie arrived safely on the rescue ship Carpathia, he still had his now tattered hat with him. On the Carpathia he befriended a young Hungarian boy by the name of Jakob Lammersfeld. Jakob felt sorry for Willie and traded his good hat for Willie's damaged hat. Jakob's family kept Willie's hat over the year's parting with it only last year. That hat you see him wearing in the photo below will be on display for the first time since 1912 at our two dinners.
The 2nd class passengers on the ship were an amazing varied group. William Harbeck was a revolutionary cinematographer. He made his name with motion pictures of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. In 1911 he filmed the most famous of all Pendleton Round-Ups. We will be showing his 1911 Round-Up film with the artifact displays.
and his family tried to board lifeboat 2. Only women and children were being allowed entry. Willie was denied entry because he looked "to old" in the boater's hat. His mother pleaded that he was only a young boy and removed
the hat from his head to prove her point. He was finally allowed to enter, hat in hand.
While in the lifeboat his hat became crushed. When Willie arrived safely on the rescue ship Carpathia, he still had his now tattered hat with him. On the Carpathia he befriended a young Hungarian boy by the name of Jakob Lammersfeld. Jakob felt sorry for Willie and traded his good hat for Willie's damaged hat. Jakob's family kept Willie's hat over the year's parting with it only last year. That hat you see him wearing in the photo below will be on display for the first time since 1912 at our two dinners.
Both dinners promise to be fantastic but some may not realize how special the 2nd class dinner on Friday will be. What most people are unaware of is that the 2nd class meals on the Titanic were better than the 1st class meals on other ships.
And 2nd class accommodations on the Titanic were also more luxurious than 1st class accommodations on other ships. The 2nd class dining room was 71 feet long . The room had oak panels with pivoted sidelights which provided a great elegance to the dining area. There was a piano in the room to entertain diners. All the furniture was mahogany with crimson upholstery.
The 2nd class passengers on the ship were an amazing varied group. William Harbeck was a revolutionary cinematographer. He made his name with motion pictures of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. In 1911 he filmed the most famous of all Pendleton Round-Ups. We will be showing his 1911 Round-Up film with the artifact displays.
Another passenger was Joseph Phillippe Lemercier Laroche. He was the only black man on the ship. He was an engineer who spoke French and English fluently. He was originally from Haiti where his uncle was President of Republic of Haiti! His story is seldom told. Did he, his French wife and their two little children survive? Our guests will find out.
Eva Hart was only 7 years old, traveling with her parents. Her mother had had a terrible premonition before they sailed and refused to sleep at night. She was wide awake when the ship hit the iceberg. Our guests will get to hear a recording of Eva describing her escape into a lifeboat.
And then there was the famous Titanic band led by Wallace Hartley. They all sailed as 2nd class passengers.
Both the 1st and 2nd class meals will be wonderful events.
Sincerely,
John Lamoreau
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